Slips ups
by lullabymoon
Summary: A couple of slip ups lead to a new start for Mac and Lindsay. MeLty.


Slip Ups

A/N: set shortly after Charge of this Post. No spoilers (apart from Peyton) for season three.

* * *

The atmosphere in the lab was just as frosty as the air outside. Mac stepped into the doorway just as Peyton apologised and walked out. Mac followed her "Peyton wait up" he said to her retreating back. She whirled round and asked "Why Mac? They obviously don't like me."

"You don't know that." She raised an eyebrow "I'm going back to the morgue." And she moved down the corridor again. Mac shrugged his shoulders and sighed in despair. He went back into the lab "What the hell was that for?" he asked Stella, Danny and Sheldon. They looked at each other "She accused me of being sloppy with my work and that I caused our suspect to walk free." Stella told him. Mac groaned. "I'm sure she didn't mean it that way, she was just looking out for the lab."

"The lab? Well she could try by not accusing everyone of incompetence."

"Come on Mac when have you ever known Stella to be sloppy?" asked Danny. Mac avoided looking at her and said "Never." Changing the subject he asked "Where's Lindsey?"

"She's out in the field with Flack." Sheldon said quickly, glad to move past the tension.

"Flack's back already?" He asked in surprise.

"Yeah it's just a robbery and there's another officer at the scene so it's nothing strenuous." Mac sensed his opportunity to escape the frosty atmosphere of the lab and said "I'll join them."

He found Flack and Lindsey inside a small jewellers close to Central Park. "Hey Mac" Lindsey sounded surprised to see him but Flack looked mildly offended. "Checking up on me again?" Mac gave a small grin. "That and escaping the lab."

"Oh what's wrong?" asked Lindsey looking up from where she was printing a glass cabinet. "Just an argument between Stella and Peyton" he replied as he snapped on a pair of gloves. "You don't have to do that" she looked at his gloved hands "I'm nearly finished already." He nodded slightly and stood up

"So what's Peyton like?" she asked conversationally as she lifted the prints. "Haven't you met her yet?" he sounded slightly shocked.

"Well I've only talked to her once. She always seems to be busy when I'm free"

"She's"

"Hey you guys finished?" shouted Flack "We got an angry owner out here wanting to know when he can open up again."

"Yes I'm finished." Lindsey shouted back as she stood up. They walked outside and Lindsey turned "Well aren't you going to tell me?" she asked.

"She's a good M.E. and" he watched as Lindsey slipped on a patch of ice and cracked her head on the ground. He rushed forward along with Flack and the other officer to see if she was alright. There was blood on her hair and she looked pale as she stood up. Mac quickly put his arms around her to steady her. "Come on lets get you to a hospital. I'll drive"

"No Mac I'm fine. I'll finish my shift." He raised an eyebrow at her "No. Hospital now." he said slowly as if to get the point through to her.

"Maaac" she said drawing out his name. He smiled slightly "Come on it can't hurt to get it checked out. It is the second head injury you've had in two months" he steered her towards his car, his arms still around her waist. She paled even further "Lindsey?" Mac asked worried.

"I'm just a bit dizzy" she slurred before she lost consciousness and Mac only managed to stop her hitting the ground again because he was already holding her. The other officer helped him get Lindsey into the car and it was a few minutes into the drive before she came to.

When she came to she found herself in the passenger seat of Mac's car. "Where are we?" she asked groggily.

"We're on the way to the hospital." She groaned "I don't care what you think Lindsey. You passed out and we're getting you checked out." He said this as he turned into the hospital car park. He stopped the car and went around to her side where he opened her door for her. She slowly tried to get out and Mac rushed forward to steady her. He gently eased her out the car but didn't move backwards and as she stood up they found themselves standing so close together they were almost touching. She blushed and moved away from him towards the hospital entrance. "I can make it myself you don't have to come with me. Thanks for the ride though." She slowly made her way to the entrance and Mac easily caught up with her. He placed his hand in the small of her back and gently guided her. "No objections. I can see you are still wobbly on your feet. I think you've got a concussion." She sighed and gave in. "Come on then. I don't want to spend all day here." He gave her a wry grin. "You'll do what the doctor tells you."

In the end she ended up staying the night for observation. She complained bitterly and was forced into staying by Mac who threatened to fire her if she didn't follow doctor's orders and take the next three days off work. He stayed beside her bed until she fell asleep, just to make sure she actually stayed. He was just about to leave when he heard her start to mumble in her sleep. After a moments indecision he decided to listen a minute to try and figure out more about his newest team member, who was still a mystery to most of them even though she been there nearly a year. He hadn't heard much when he heard his name and more curious than ever he leaned closer. He was startled when shortly after his name she muttered "Don't leave me." He checked to see if she was awake and was surprised to find she was in fact still sound asleep. He looked particularly uncomfortable at the idea she was dreaming about him and re-gathered his things and left her room.

Hours later Stella found him in his office immersed in piles of paperwork. She knocked on the door. "What are you still doing here? I thought you were staying at the hospital to make sure Lindsey followed doctor's orders."

"Well I stayed until she fell asleep." Stella nodded "Okay so what's got you so riled up?"

"She muttered my name in her sleep and asked my not to leave" Stella looked at him oddly "That's what got you in a twist?" She asked incredulously "Come on we all dream about strong handsome marines coming to our rescue."

He smirked at her "Really?"

She ignored him. "Besides she was probably half awake and feeling a bit lonely. Come on Mac what's really the problem?"

"It's just," he stopped and looked lost for words "I feel more protective of her than I do anybody else."

"Is this about you staying at the hospital? Because if it is you would have been there for anyone of us, particularly someone as stubborn as Lindsey."

He sighed "I know but I" he paused "wanted to stay more than I would have done for anyone else" he looked annoyed that he couldn't put the feeling into words better.

Stella sat down beside him. "You and Lindsey are too alike. I think that's the problem."

He looked surprised at her.

"You mean you never noticed? Come on the two of you both have the same love for the job, the same work ethic, principles, love of learning. Need I go on? I think you see that and find it attractive."

Mac blushed slightly and shifted uncomfortably "Maybe I do."

"Mac it doesn't have to make you uncomfortable."

"It should. She works under me and for all she's been here a year we hardly know her."

"Well why don't you get to know her better? Take her out for coffee, talk with her. You can take it slow and it doesn't have to go anywhere but you obviously can't bury your head in the sand and hope whatever you are feeling goes away. Even if you just become friends with her."

Mac still looked uncomfortable. "I'll think about it."

Stella shook her head and said "I'll leave you to it. Just don't take too long to make your mind up. It's not healthy for anybody."

Snow was starting to fall as Lindsey came out the hospital door. She looked surprised to see Mac there. "Checking up on me?"

He gave a nervous chuckle and she noticed immediately. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I just thought you could do with a lift home especially in this weather." He gestured around them.

She smiled brightly "Thanks." He was still nervous though and she kept glancing at him during the car journey to see if he really was alright. "I'm fine Lindsey." He said after he noticed her looking.

"You just seem a bit out of sorts that's all." He drew up outside her apartment block and she gave him a long look. She seemed to decide she wasn't going to get anything more from him. She smiled again. "Thanks for the ride." The fact that she was still smiling at him made him relax slightly and he felt confident enough to ask her "How would you like to see the Museum of Science tomorrow? I mean without it being a crime scene."

"Making sure I don't do too much?" She teased him. He became nervous again and she could tell she had said the wrong thing. "I'd like that. Most of the city that I've seen lately has been a crime scene."

He seemed slightly reassured and shifted slightly in his seat "Well I was thinking" he paused "we haven't had much of a chance to get to know you and I thought it would be nice."

She blushed and smiled shyly. "Yeah that would be nice."

Mac smiled, more comfortable now. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

It was a slow day in the lab and Stella noticed Mac seemed particularly anxious to leave. "What's the world coming to? Mac Taylor anxious to leave work?"

"Very funny."

She stepped into his office. "So what's wrong?"

"Nothing" She raised her eyebrows at him. He sighed. "Lindsey and I are going to the opera tonight."

"Really? That was fast." He blushed slightly. "So what happened between the two of you?"

"Well I took your advice." Stella smiled. "We went to the Museum of Science."

"Museum?"

"Yes I thought it would be nice to go without a having to attend a crime scene. We wandered about for a while and we had fun. We went for coffee after the museum shut for the night and we started talking. Somehow we got onto the subject of operas and I mentioned one that she hadn't heard so I said I'd take her to see a performance that a local company are putting on."

"Sounds fun. So was I right?"

Mac looked directly at her and smiled slightly. "You were."


End file.
